


Foot in the door

by fandomgeek14



Series: Navigating Stardom [3]
Category: Hollywood U: Rising Star
Genre: F/M, First Meetings, also her mum and Hunt have history, future relationship, mc doesn't know about it though, mostly takes place during the quest lights camera action, technically takes place during high school story app, the mc has social anxiety
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-11-01 18:37:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17872649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomgeek14/pseuds/fandomgeek14
Summary: a Flashback to how the MC, Maddie decided to go to Hollywood U and coincidentally how she met Hunt.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> a few things you don't need to know before reading but would help:  
> 1) Maddie was born in america, moved to Britain age three and returned to america aged 15 with her mother.  
> 2) Maddie's mum is a director, producer and editor. Maddie was born at the height of her career and her mother had several clashes with Hunt when he was starting out in the early 2000s- she blames Maddie for delaying her Hollywood dream just for existing.  
> 3) Maddie has never seen any of Hunt's films.  
> 4) dialogue credit by pixelberry studios and i've missed out a few scenes because i couldn't find some of the dialogue online.

Maddie Jenkins looked around the set of ' _Hamartia'_. her friend Payton had invited her and her other friends, Julian and Autumn along to be extras in the film after she saw the casting call and Maddie thought it would be fun she’d never been on a film set before and honestly when Payton explained the plot of the film (or synopsis really) one thought crossed her mind, a dream she used to have as a kid.   

“maybe we’ll get to play secret agents! We’d better practice our superspy moves.” she smiled slightly at her three friends she was admittedly still a little nervous about even being on a set of the film let alone an extra in an unfamiliar place but she was good at hiding it.

That’s when a serous looking man in a crisp, grey, suit jacket strides up to them, he looked, Maddie admitted to herself, like the type of guy her mum would bring home for a ‘business meeting’ and those never went down well for Maddie and she suddenly felt her tongue get tied from social awkwardness and speaking to new people. Oh dear.

“Excuse me-”

“Am I dreaming or is style icon and super famous director **_Thomas Hunt_** talking to us? someone pinch me!” Payton said shocked and excited

_‘Thomas Hunt? The guy who directed my ex-stepdad’s favourite film? The guy my mum is constantly complaining about from when I was a baby? That’s him?’_ Maddie thought to herself

“are you four here for the casting call?” he asked giving the four a serious glare

_'Come on Maddie, get over it, speak! Act confident!'_

 “uh, yeah. we’re here to play extras for _Hamartia_ ”

“what’s your name?” the director asked them.

The brown-haired, blue-eyed girl remained calm when answering. It was an easy enough question.

“Maddie. And these are my friends, Payton, Julian and Autumn”

“Maddie, I want you playing the main hostage in the upcoming kidnapping scene. You’ve got the right look. And your friends can play the other hostages”

Maddie froze for a millisecond, I mean she wasn’t going to argue with him, Thomas Hunt was notorious for his stubbornness (from what she could tell from her mother’s ‘jealous of success’ rants) so when he handed the script to her she took it and then she she stood there for a few seconds bemused at what to do.

“what are you standing around for? Get over to hair and makeup before I change my mind”

“right! on it” Maddie replied 

Autumn grabbed her hand and they hurried over to hair and Make-up.

After getting into costume and having their hair and makeup done (and running into Chris Winters whilst there), they were on set, and whilst Chris  was explaining the script to Maddie and the group there’s a yell from the director.

“Winters! We need you on set!”

Chris gave Maddie an encouraging smile as she approached the set where Hunt is waiting.

“well I’m off to prep for my scene, good luck” Chris said

“got any tips? Anything we should know before filming?” Maddie asked him

“inhabit your role fully. Don’t just play pretend. Before you speak remember what your character is feeling and convey that through your lines”

“I’ll do my best!”

Chris walked off and Maddie joined the other actors in the scene in front of Hunt, Adrenaline from anxiety and excitement buzzing through her veins and after a briefing of the scene they began take one. 


	2. Chapter 2

After watching Chris do his bit, Maddie was up in the scene, Autumn nudged her and whispered

“you’re up Maddie, good luck”

“thanks, I just hope I don’t mess up my lines” Maddie gulped

The false wall gave way with a crash! Chris strode in and dropped to one knee

“you’re all here. Great. come on, we don’t have much time!”

“who are you?”

_'One more line down and I’m kind of loving acting'_

“that’s-”

“Cut! Winters pull it together!” Hunt’s voice loudly spoke up walking onto set and stopping in front of Chris

“tell me, what do you think Agent Myers motivation is right now? How does he feel, having  walked  in on a room full of innocent hostages?”

“well, he’s relieved, he wants to rescue them and escape the compound”

“wrong. By this point Myers has been pushed to the limit. He’s desperate and consumed by his mission. He won’t stop at anything to get what he wants”

Hunt nods at the crew and they film the scene again. And once again Hunt is not happy. Maddie watched as Hunt continued to lecture Chris.

“Hunt’s being so… harsh” Autumn said

“he makes my football coach look like a big ol’ teddy bear” Julian commented

“classic Hunt. He’s just being tough on Chris to bring out the best in him. you’ll see” Payton said (her amount of celebrity knowledge still astounded Maddie to no end)

Hunt suddenly turned to Maddie a scowl on his face. _‘that’s probably not good’_   Maddie swallowed anxiously, expecting him to turn brutal on her as well

“and Maddie?”

_'Here we go.'_

“yes?” she asked hiding her nervousness

“keep up the good work”

_Holy macaroni._ He thought she was doing okay! thank goodness!

The scene resets again. This time, the scene was a success!

After the scene, Maddie and her friends stayed behind after to watch Chris find the boss, when she saw Hunt beckon her over over, a serious look on his face and Maddie thought she was in trouble for staying this long, honestly it was hard to tell with this director.

“you seem like you’d have a knack of directing , and I’m not one for standing in the way of learning. Would you like a turn in the directors chair?”

_'This guy is seriously unpredictable'_  

Maddie she gave him a blank, shocked stare in reply, (a look Hunt would see a lot over the years from her although they didn't know it yet.

“well?”

“y-yeah, I mean, if it’s alright with you”

“if it wasn’t then I wouldn’t ask”

Maddie nodded in understanding and watched Hunt direct the high action fight scene, taking in his every command, then he turned back to her.

“as it is, the camera angle leaves something to be desired, your thoughts Maddie?”

“I think this should be a close up shot. Chris is fighting for his life right now, a close up shot would capture all that emotional intensity”

“this is an action scene and you want to ignore all the action in favour of Chris’s pretty face?” Hunt looks sternly at Maddie unimpressed and she felt like she needed to defend her actions

“well… yeah I do. This scene is about Chris fighting not just his enemies but also his personal demons. The focus should be on him.”

Hunt looked at Maddie for a few seconds before he replied

“you’re right”

“I am? But you said-”

“I was testing you. if you can’t defend your choices, then they aren’t worth making”

Hunt instructs the crew to do the scene again, this time with a close up shot of Chris.

“an astute call, Maddie” and Hunt almost smiles at the teenager. Almost.


	3. Chapter 3

From behind the camera Maddie observes Hunt direct the last scene of the day. This was an eventful day and one day she would remember for a long time, meeting Chris winters and Thomas Hunt in one day is any film nerd’s dream, although she wouldn’t mention that she got to direct a few scenes alongside Hunt to her mum- she’d just reprimand her for ruining her chance at a better career in film again and remind her how she could have had everything Hunt did in a career if she hadn’t had had Maddie so young (despite it being her fault in the first place anyway with an extreme case of sibling rivalry with Maddie’s aunt and a lot of manipulation of Maddie’s biological father and biological uncle, Scott). Maddie had only expected to be in the background as an extra and now she’d been the main hostage, spoken some lines and was currently being taught how to direct by Hunt himself! It was truly unbelievable! And as Hunt is directing the scene he pointed out key techniques to Maddie and answers Maddie’s questions happily. As there is a close up shot of Chris’ fist, Maddie asked her last question curiously

“so why don’t you show Myers face here? Aren’t his expressions important?”

“they are, but we’re showing that through his body language. He’s fighting to hold onto his sense of humanity-”

“oh. So the shadows symbolise how close he is to losing himself”

“correct. You catch on fast. If only my university student were as bright”

“uh. Thank you, that means a lot to me” Maddie said not sure how to handle that comment.

After filming for the day, Hunt nodded to Maddie and her friends.

“you did a respectable job today”

And with that he turns on his heel and walks away.

_‘Was that good or not? God, how can one man be so confusing?'_ Maddie thought

“that’s high praise coming from him” Chris commented “but seriously, I had an amazing time with all of you. I’ll see you at the premiere?”

_‘The premiere?’_

“absolutely yes!” Payton almost squealed

Maddie chuckled at Payton’s excitement

“we’ll be there”

 

 

As the four friends got out of the limo on the night of the premiere, several lights flashed from cameras as they stood on the red carpet, Maddie blinked through the lights to see Chris waiting for them.

“hey Chris!” Maddie smiled

“hey! Glad you all could make it” Chris greeted the friends

“thanks for inviting us” Autumn smiled at Chris

“yeah it’s like a dream come true. And this right here? Totally #squadgoals”  Payton agreed

Chris walked them down the red carpet and Maddie waved to the paparazzi before going into the theatre following a stream of well dressed celebrities. Maddie, Julian Autumn, Payton and Chris headed to the front where their seats were reserved, Hunt was already there, frowning at the screen. _‘does he ever smile?’_ Maddie thought to herself quietly as she sat down in her seat next to Chris and Autumn.

“I commend you on surviving the ravening hordes of paparazzi” Hunt said to the group

“why weren’t you out there?” Maddie asked out of curiosity, surely Hunt would be out there since he was the director of the film?

“the media is a little too excitable for my taste. I prefer the peace and quiet of exclusive theatre seats” he said as if it was obvious to everyone 

“he says that, but he’s one of the best in Hollywood when it comes to handling the media” Chris smiled at the highschoolers

“it’s no more difficult than handling a lecture full of university students. Now if we’re quite finished  making small talk...”

His gaze focused on the screen, the lights dim and the movie begins. 

“ohmygosh this is it!” payton said excitedly

Maddie leaned back in her seat, letting herself get absorbed into the film…


	4. Chapter 4

Seven years later to the day, 22 year old Maddie Jenkins stood up on the stage of that years Audrey staring down at her trophy for ‘best actress in a film’ for her latest starring role in ‘ _Catastrophe_ ’ which coincidentally, co-stared Chris Winters as her love interest. And she couldn’t believe she had made it that far, she could not believe she’d won, it was the first time she’d been nominated for anything serious and she had been doing the thank you speech. She’d been shocked and started the speech saying how she genuinely did not think she’d win since she was up against four more experienced and better actresses who deserved it more than her and then she did the typical thanking the crew, cast, her friends, her family, her mum (for giving her the experience she needed to react authentically to being ridiculed for anything which allowed her to give a really authentic performance), she’d even mentioned her little daughter, Isobel, who was only a few months old at the time. there was only one more person she had to thank. her husband and the guy who sparked her interest in taking up acting as a career in the first place. Thomas Hunt.  

“-there’s only one more person I’d like to thank and that is, unsurprisingly or surprisingly to who you'd ask, Thomas Hunt, who I wouldn’t have been here without” Maddie spoke out “and I know that my speech has been full of clichés and it’s another one on the block with saying that but it’s true, I genuinely think he is almost solely responsible for getting my foot in the door of hollywood although he'd probably disagree"

she took a deep breath "one day, I stepped onto the set of the film _Hamartia_ with three of my high school friends having been signed up by suprise. i was only expecting to be an extra in the background or something with no lines but then this man in a grey suit with a serious expression plastered on his face came up to us and told me he wanted me to be the main hostage because I 'looked the part' and handed me a script, he then told me to stop standing there and get to hair and makeup before he changed his mind. He later even told me to consider applying for Hollywood U which I did"

"-I’ve realised he’s been with me through every step of my career, every time I did something to further my career as a student, he would be there at the end ready to either reprimand me for talking in class or saying I was giving an abysmal performance or an extremely bad essay and occasionally if he was in a good mood  compliment me through criticism. he’s literally been there for me every single turn of my time in Hollywood, from getting my first film role as an extra, to the first film contract that screwed me over, to a hearing about my potential and wrongful expulsion to being a victim of blackmail to giving birth to our beautiful daughter to now, as I’m standing here with an award I never thought I’d receive"

"-So, Thomas, thanks for everything you taught me and for never giving up on me and this is for you. I believe it’ll go great right by the owl statue in the foyer at home” Maddie added a little joke at the end “thank you”

she left the stage and sat back with the crew and cast of the film clapping echoing the room, she shot a glance in Hunt’s direction where he was sat with his film crew and cast for his most recent film that was up for best picture against the film she was in. he looked over at her as he was clapping and although not smiling he had a glimmer in eyes that told Maddie everything she needed to know at the time, the look was a proud one and that was more than enough for her.     


End file.
